A GROUP OF 25 SAILORS HELD HOSTAGE BY SOMALIS SINCE APRIL HAVE BEEN FREED, A SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL SAID SATURDAY, ACCORDING TO AP. THE HOSTAGES _ INCLUDING EIGHT SOUTH KOREANS, NINE INDONESIANS, FIVE VIETNAMESE AND THREE CHINESE _ HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND WERE IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS, A SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL IN AFRICA TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY, BECAUSE HE WASN'T AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK TO MEDIA. THE GROUP WERE ON THEIR WAY TO MOMBASA, KENYA, THE OFFICIAL SAID. IT WASN'T IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHETHER A SOUTH KOREAN COMPANY OPERATING THE HIJACKED SHIP HAD PAID A RANSOM TO THE MILITANTS, WHO HAD CLAIMED THEY WERE DEFENDING THEIR WATERS FROM ILLEGAL FISHING. THE MILITANTS HAD SAID THEY WOULD FIRST INVESTIGATE HOW LONG THE SOUTH KOREAN BOAT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL FISHING BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO DEMAND COMPENSATION. SOUTH KOREA HAD SAID THE PIRATES SEIZED THE VESSEL IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS AND LATER TOOK IT TO SOMALIA'S WATERS.
